Ingredients:
2 pounds broccoli (or broccolini), stems removed, peeled and chopped, florets kept small
sea salt
1 pound orechiette pasta
½ cup olive oil
7 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated pecorino romano

Directions:

  1. Place broccoli and peeled stems in a deep saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer over high heat. When the bubbles appear, remove from the heat. Drain, plunge broccoli into ice water, drain again, pat dry, and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic until fragrant and just golden, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until the pasta is ready.
  3. Cook the orechiette according to the package. Drain in a colander, then add the broccoli and toss to mix well. Remove from the heat, transfer to a platter and serve warm with pecorino.

Serves 6